Is a text, seriously worth losing your life? Did you know that according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death of American teenagers with the number one cause of these deaths being the use of wireless devices?
Most of us don’t think much about uninsured drivers, but it’s very important to understand how they can affect every one of us on the roads. You should know what it means to be involved in an accident with an uninsured driver.
This past Fourth of July, most of us were knee deep in BBQs, watermelon eating contests, pool parties and fireworks. Unfortunately, there are those individuals who have no regard for human life and don’t consider the consequences of their actions. When you choose to be reckless, your actions are not just affecting you and your life, but are significantly impacting the lives of those around you.
Actor and comedian Tracy Morgan was critically injured a few weeks ago after a tractor-trailer rammed into his chauffeured limousine bus, setting off a chain-reaction crash that left a fellow comedian dead and two others seriously hurt. A truck driver from Georgia was charged with death by auto in the crash that killed Morgan’s mentor as the group traveled home from a standup comedy show in Delaware. The fatality occurred after the Mercedes limo bus carrying seven people overturned on the New Jersey Turnpike near Cranbury Township at about 1 a.m. Tracy Morgan and another passenger were flown from the accident scene to the hospital, where they were listed in critical condition.
There has been an increase in rollover deaths and injuries in the last several months in the state of Utah. Reasons range anywhere from driver inexperience to driver fatigue. These types of accidents are among the most deadly.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, rollovers account for nearly 33% of all deaths from passenger vehicle accidents even though they’re only 2.1% of all passenger vehicle accidents. There are more than 10,000 people per year killed in rollover accidents and more than 10,000 lives lost. At William Rawlings & Associates we have helped many families through these tragic events and work to get their lives back on track….. family’s lives are changed forever every year after these catastrophic accidents.
Before you join up with any ride-sharing business in Utah, you should check your car insurance policy. State agencies say ride-sharing companies are dangerous because their insurance policies aren't regulated and can financially ruin a person in an accident.
Ride-sharing companies like Uber work through apps and you can sign up to be a driver or a fee-paying passenger. However, Utah’s Insurance Department says there’s a gap in private insurance coverage, and you may not be covered when you are riding in one of the Uber cars. So in the case of a collision or crash, you may be left with a large bill.
A case of distracted or impaired driving was reported in yesterday’s news and it did not involve drugs or alcohol. One man was killed and another man critically injured early Saturday when the driver of a vehicle hit them on the side of I-15, the Utah Highway Patrol reported. The responsible driver apparently fell asleep at the wheel.
Passengers are frequently the innocent victims in most Utah automobile accidents. The responsible parties can include the driver of the vehicle in which you were a passenger, another driver on the road and even the manufacturer of the vehicles involved. Some of the most common causes included speeding, failure to yield, tailgating, improper lane changes and driver impairment. When negligence is to blame for your injuries, you are entitled to make a claim against the responsible party for medical expenses; personal property damaged in the accident, loss of income and pain and suffering.
When the accident results in long-term health consequences such as traumatic brain injury, paralysis or disfigurement, you may also be entitled to compensation for loss of earning capacity, rehabilitation and loss of enjoyment of life. Should the crash result in fatal injuries the claim now becomes a wrongful death and loved ones can pursue a claim on behalf of their loved one.
During the first quarter of last year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated that 7,630 people died in traffic crashes on American streets. That was 910 more than the first quarter of the previous year which yielded a 13.5 percent increase! An increase in distracted driving, which kills about 3,000 people a year, could be part of the reason. The National Safety Council estimates that about a quarter of all crashes involve cell phones. While more and more states have banned cell phones while driving, the effectiveness of those bans is questionable.
Ice and snow ruining your morning commute? Your tires may not be the only thing sliding around this winter. Car accidents aren't the only accidents keeping emergency rooms busy. Emergency rooms get plenty of business from slip and fall accidents, too.
Protect your family, friends, customers and clients by being proactive with snow removal. Shovel early and often. Be sure your sidewalks and stairs are salted several times a day. Fix any gutters that may leak and cause ice patches to form on your sidewalks and entrances to your building.